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Contagion: Book 1 (Dark Matter) by Teri Terry (view source)
Revision as of 12:25, 16 August 2020
, 12:25, 16 August 2020no edit summary
{{infobox infobox1
|title=Contagion: Book 1 (Dark Matter)
|author=Teri Terry
|reviewer=Jill Murphy
|date=May 2017
|isbn=1408341727
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}}
It's not a spoiler if I tell you that bad things happen to Callie dies because she does die and she dies in the first few pages of ''Contagion''they do. Callie - Calista - disappeared more than a year ago. Her brother Kai is still looking for her, hopeful that she will be found alive and well. But Callie isn't alive and well. She's been taken to a secretive medical facility on the island of Shetland, experimented on, and then burned to death. But Callie survived the burning in non-corporeal form, well, turned into ''something else''. How?
Meanwhile, Shay, struggling to fit in in her remote Scottish village, comes across a Missing Person poster. She recognises Callie as the girl she saw in the woods a while back and calls the number on the poster in the hope she can help. That's how she comes to meet Kai. And it turns out that the day Shay saw Callie was the very day she disappeared. Immediately attracted to Kai, Shay resolves to do all she can to help him find his sister.
One minor quibble. ''Contagion'' is the first book in a trilogy. We know this before we start reading. But I still like my books to have an ''ending'' even if I know there is more to come. ''Contagion'' ends on a cliffhanger with precious few plot lines tied up. I know this is common. I know many authors do it. But I'll never like it. I want a book to be a whole, not a mere instalment. I want a trilogy to have an overall plot arc and each book to have an individual narrative of its own. Most people won't mind and you, dear reader, probably won't mind, so just see this review paragraph as my periodic shout into the void.
This regular moan of mine aside, I loved ''Contagion''. It has an interesting premise and the story is told with great action and a breathless pace. The central characters are well-drawn and relatable. It blends several genres - conspiracy thriller, dystopian, sci-fi, even a bit of the supernatual supernatural - to great effect. It has a wonderful, evocative setting and sense of landscape. I think Teri Terry has a real talent for writing exciting stories that are accessible and easy to read but also have a thought-provoking thematic depth. She makes you think.
Recommended.
If ''Contagion'' appeals, you might also enjoy [[Ultraviolet by R J Anderson]], which also blends super-powers, sci-fi and a dystopian setting. We also loved [[The Starlight Conspiracy by Steve Voake]], a glittering mix of conspiracy thriller, road trip, and sci -fi mystery. Adults might enjoy [[Blackfish City by Sam J Miller]]. We've also enjoyed [[Book of Lies by Teri Terry]].
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